Modi's vibrant meet to polish 'tainted' image

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Narendra Modi has hit on a strategy to improve his international image and

Narendra Modi has hit on a strategy to improve his international image and project himself as a statesman. He plans to rope in the best of the Western intellectuals and get their endorsement.

Still tainted for his 'failure' to control the 2002 riots and barred from visiting countries such as the USA and the UK because of the scourge, the Gujarat chief minister is banking on the fifth Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit (VGGIS) scheduled for January 2011.

He will invite celebrity business management gurus and international experts on issues such as climate change and industrial development from world-class institutes to speak at the summit.

His government has finalised a plan to send delegations comprising senior IAS officers, Indian corporate leaders, representatives of industry and trade associations and powerful lobbyist companies to woo the prospective speakers. He is targeting honchos of multinational giants as well.

The state industry department has formed nine teams which will visit the US, the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Israel, Denmark, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, France, Italy, Brazil, Kenya and Sri Lanka to tap the movers and shakers.

"This time, our focus is different from the earlier four summits. We want to promote Gujarat as an international knowledge hub," Gujarat industries commissioner B. B. Swain said.

He claimed the state was already in touch with the shortlisted celebrities.

The delegation will soon personally meet and invite each of them. "Seminars have been arranged during the summit in which these business gurus will talk on key global issues." Modi has also planned to involve various Indian states as partners in the summit, a step he thinks can help boost his image as a messiah of development and a favourite of the industries.

In addition, seven nations, including Japan, Canada and Kenya, have reportedly committed to partner the event.

"Not only that, our leading business and trade bodies will also be our partners. So will premium educational institutes," he added.

The state government, determined to project Gujarat as an international hub of business, will dub the summit as 'Davos in Action'.

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